Author: Times News Network, Panaji Publication: TOI
Dated: March 24, 2009 Panchayat minister Manohar Azgaonkar admitted that rampant corruption ex-ists in some panchayats but said that there was no law to act against elected represen-tatives who stall constructions even after technical approvals have been obtained by the con-cerned parties. Replying to a calling at-tention motion tabled by Calangute MLA Agnelo Fer-nandes referring to charges of bribery against the secretary of the Reis Magos panchayat, the minister stated that he had tabled the Goa Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2009 in a bid to strengthen the law where taking penal action was concerned, and not to do away with the rights of panchayats. "We don't have the law on our side," he told the House. However, the panchayat minister's request to Speaker Pratapsingh Rane to allow him to move for passing of the Bill was not acceded to as the Speaker and leader of Oppo-sition Manohar Parrikar pointed out that the business, advisory committee had, after due discussion on the Bill, de-cided to refer it back to the se-lect committee. The proposed amendment has sparked off protests from some citizens and panchayati raj activists, alleging that it would result in making the secretary more powerful than the sarpanch and make a mockery of democracy at the grassroot level. The select committee had decided to refer it back in or-der to enable the Speaker to reconstitute the panel with the incorporation of senior mem-bers in it.
